While numerous methods of saltwater fishing exist, the use of a boat has many advantages for both the professional and recreational fisherman. For this reason, many boat manufacturers have built vessels directed solely to the art of fishing. Open fishing boats, so defined due to the open area around a center console, are of particular interest since they are capable of high speeds, are economical to operate, and provide a very safe platform from which to fish from.
The use of outriggers are a common fixture on fishing vessels. The open fishing vessel can be made to run extremely fast and are highly maneuverable making them the preferred vessel for most fishing events. Mounting of an outrigger system on a small open fishing vessel is typically performed from the T-top. Most open fishing vessels include the use of the T-top that, as the name implies, is formed from a “T” like structure to provide shade and rain protection for those standing around the console. The T-top does not inhibit operation of the vessel and allows an occupant to walk around the vessel uninhibited in a semi-protected position.
The Assignee of this present invention is the owner of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,738,035; 4,993,346; and 6,769,377 incorporated herein by reference, which teach the use of outriggers for use on fishing vessels having a T-top, half tower, or the like. Current boating designs for high speed fishing vessels ideally allow the placement of outriggers in a stowage position, movable to a trolling position, without interfering with the occupant area. The use of a combination control lever and locking mechanism permits placement of the outrigger by manipulation of the control lever safely within the confines of the vessel.
Fishing with outriggers is performed when a fishing vessel is driven slowly, commonly referred to as trolling, which permits the strategic placement of bait behind the vessel. Trolling allows the fishing vessel to cover large areas of water so as to increase the chance of catching fish. The quantity and spacing of the bait placed behind the vessel is generally proportional to the size of the vessel, as well as the success of the fishing expedition. If the bait is properly placed, the wake generated by the vessel can be made to appear like a school of fish. Bait that appears to be struggling or separated are most attractive to predator fish.
The positioning of bait behind a vessel would be limited to the width of the vessel but for the use of the outriggers. Most open fishing vessels have a beam less than ten feet and trolling with more than two fishing lines behind such as vessel provides very little distance between the baits and limits the ability to place bait outside of the boat wake. Further, more than two lines behind a narrow beam vessel severely limit vessel maneuvering. Even a gradual turn may cause bait lines to cross and become entangled. In addition, closely positioned baits can become entangled during a fish strike.
The use of outriggers provides a means for effectively widening the spacing of the bait, as well as adding additional bait/lines without fear of tangling of the lines. An outrigger is basically a long pole having a proximal end coupled to the vessel and a distal end that can be rotated from a stowage position outboard to a trolling position. A positioning line is drawn along the length of the outrigger pole wherein release clips secured to the positioning line are used to secure the fishing pole line at a desired location. When a fish strikes the bait, the release clip disengages the fishing line from the positioning line, and the fisherman is free to reel in the fish without interference. Proper placement of the outrigger pole and fishing line increases the chances of fish being drawn to the bait.
For example, by use of two fifteen foot outriggers, a vessel with a ten foot beam may extend the distances between bait, effectively covering a thirty foot spread behind the vessel. However, having outrigger poles extend from each side of a vessel during non-fishing times has obvious drawbacks. For this reason, outriggers must be stowable to allow for normal traveling and docking. The outriggers are typically stored within the vertical plane of the vessel, the vertical plane defined by the side walls of the vessel. In operation, the outrigger is swung laterally outward to a deployed position for fishing purposes. Typically, each outrigger pole may be ten to thirty feet long, longer poles are cable trussed to prevent excessive flexing.
Mounting outriggers to open fishing vessels presents numerous problems, mainly due to the stability of a narrow beam boat in open water, as well as the operational speeds that the open fishing vessels are capable of. A basic requirement is the safety of the vessel occupants, wherein an operator of the outrigger can be rotated while the occupant remains in the safety of the vessel, preferably while standing next to the console, beneath the T-top. Associated with this safety aspect is the need for a locking mechanism capable of withstanding the large cantilever forces presented by the outrigger arrangement. For instance, a fifteen foot outrigger secured to a T-top has a distal end cantilevered from the base. When the vessel is placed in an ocean environment, it is not uncommon for the vessel to be subjected to large sea swells wherein the twisting force of the outrigger pole places an enormous strain on the base of the outrigger. If the outrigger's sole source of outrigger pole positioning is the locking mechanism, the locking mechanism must be able to withstand the entire force presented by the cantilevered configuration.
Accordingly, what is lacking in the art is an outrigger positioner that allows for rotational movement of an outrigger pole by use of a drive handle assembly that is in a normally locked position and must be un-locked and twisted to allow movement of the outrigger pole.